Paolo, Claudio or Lapadula: who was the best 9 of the Peruvian team in the last thirty years?

Goals are love and if the whole of Peru celebrates them, without a doubt they like it twice as much. And those in charge of them are mostly the 9, the men from the area, the scorers of the race and happily, Peru has had good representatives in the last three decades, whom we seek to recognize in the DT Awards.

• DT Anniversary Awards: vote here for the best athletes of the last three decades in Peru

Flavio Master

He debuted in the Peruvian national team at just 18 years old in the 1991 Copa América. A typical 9 who killed in the area for his physical condition. He played five qualifiers and four Copa América.

But to talk about Maestri is also to talk about Cristal’s three-time championship (1994-96), about being an institution in the U of Chile (4 titles) and about his contribution to Alianza Lima for the 2004 and 2006 titles.

Eleven goals in 57 games for the national team, more than 150 in clubs make ‘Fla Fla’ one of the great 9 that we have seen in the last thirty years.

German Carty

To speak of the ‘Ostrich’ is to speak of the most surprising goals and the most peculiar celebrations. Germán Carty began his career in 1988 and wore the shirt of more than 20 clubs, reaching glory with that of Cienciano.

Champion and scorer of the 2003 Copa Sudamericana, the only Peruvian success at the club level, his dance before each goal is still present in the national memory. He scored 6 goals for the success of ‘Papá’, which he sold to River Plate in the final, and repeated the victory in the Recopa against Boca Juniors the following year.

He only scored three goals with the Peruvian national team (he played 25 games between 1993-2004), the one he did against Uruguay in the Qualifiers for France 98 being well remembered.

He played football until he was 47 years old, an example of professionalism. He retired in 2015 wearing the Atlético Minero jersey and is now a coach in the Copa Perú.

• DT Anniversary Awards: vote here for the best athletes of the last three decades in Peru

Claudio pizarro

The eternal debate of the duality Pizarro in Germany and Pizarro with the Peruvian team. The concrete thing is that Claudio was captain of the Bicolor for a decade. It is not necessary to repeat everything that he won in the Bundesliga (20 titles in total with Bayern and Bremen), and the image of Peru that walked the world.

His pending debt was always the Peruvian team. 20 goals in 85 games and outside the squad that went to Russia 2018. His time at Bicolor was always surrounded by discontent due to his low production. His last match was in 2006.

More than 20 years of career in Germany, celebrations with the Blanquirroja before the eyes of the world. FIFA Ambassador and image of many brands. He is the national representative in the world, where everything is admiration for him.

Paolo Guerrero

The captain who led the squad that qualified for the 2018 Russia World Cup in the midst of a personal doping drama for which he was sanctioned. Historical scorer of the Bicolor with 39 goals in 108 games, he is looking to get back in shape at 38 years old for a better farewell with the Blanquirroja.

At the international level, he left his mark with his goal in the Club World Cup final for Corinthians to celebrate in 2012, the last success of a South American club in this tournament. He shone in Bayern and Hamburg and in Brazil he earned his place.

Despite not playing as a professional in Alianza Lima, the Blue and Whites await his return to the club where he was trained to close a career that has made his name recognized in different latitudes.

Gianluca Lapadula

Always Peruvian, Bicolor since 2020. In just two years, the attacker born in Italy has earned the affection of the national fans and not only because of his charisma. In just 24 games for the Peruvian team, he has 8 goals and three assists.

His four goals in the 2021 Copa América took us to the semi-finals. It was the tournament where he totally hooked with the Peruvian game and the national fans. He will be the one to command the attack for the 2026 Qualifiers.

He trained at Juventus and came to AC Milan. But his best moments were in Serie B where he currently plays for promotion with Cagliari.